Team BC won five medals in cross country events on Tuesday at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Ethan Hess (Pemberton) won the gold medal; Leo Samarelli (Vancouver) won the silver and Paul Finkbeiner (Vancouver) as Team BC swept the podium in Para Nordic Sit Men event.

"That is what we were hoping for. Honestly, when we looked at the field and the athletes we were bringing forward we were pretty confident it would be one and two that we were going to be able to pull off. Paul pulled through and got the bronze, so I am really excited," said Hess. "That is good for us going into these next races that we have gotten off to a great start. I'm very proud."

Hess finished with a time of 9:43.00, Sammarelli's time of 12:33.20 won him the silver medal and Paul Finkbeiner took bronze with a time of 13:44.50.

In the women's sprint free finals Team BC's Benita Peiffer (Whistler) took the silver medal, finishing with a time of 2:54.10. Ontario cross country skier Shaylynn Loewen took gold with a time of 2:53.80 and Quebec's Laura Leclair bronze with a time of 3:00.05.

"Sprint is one of my best competitions and I just had fun with my teammates today and was able to pull a good result," said Peiffer.

She mentioned after having a tough start to her season with medical issues, she has pulled things together for the Games, earning a silver in the 7.5 kilometre free event, and will travel to biathlon nationals after that.

"I was not expecting this at all. I was actually a little nervous coming into it all because there is a lot of pressure to come here and perform well. I am honestly so happy with the results I have had here," said Peiffer. 

Maya Jonas (North Vancouver), along with her guide Jamie Stirling (North Vancouver), won bronze in the para-nordic standing 2.5 km female event.